Entropy
by Gryffindor Girl3
Summary: !!!AU!!! There's a problem with the Owl Post, what is it and who caused it? Please R& R constructive critisms would be much appreciated.
1. Bless this mess

Entropy  
  
Warning: This is an Alternate Universe fic. It contains some violence & the death of characters.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise. I make no money at all from authoring this fan fiction. Characters, titles & all related indicia are trademarks of Warner bros. Copyright J.K Rowling & Bloomsbury books.  
  
Authors notes: I really wanted to shake things up & throw them in all directions, I hope you enjoy. Please review with anything, Questions, Comments or Criticisms. I need everything I can get. If you are shocked, I will be quite pleased.  
  
Chapter 1: Bless this mess. Gryffindor Girl  
  
Monday with the Potters was as normal as every other, Lilly Potter woke up & made breakfast for her husband & two sons.  
  
"Draco, could you pass the milk please?" His smiling 'father' asked looking up from the daily profit.  
  
"Sure thing, dad" Said the smiling, scruffy haired blonde, passing a half- full jug across the table.  
  
"Harry" He said turning slightly to his adopted brother, "Wanna go out to the field today & practice? I really want to get the heads up on that Ernie McMillan"  
  
Ernie McMillan was the best beater Hufflepuff had seen in a good while.  
  
"Yeah! Mum, can we go & play Quidditch?" Harry asked. He whispered "Wingardium Leviousa" A teaspoon raised from the table, floated to the sugar dish & retrieved a hefty load before dumping the cargo on his cornfakes.  
  
"What did I tell you Harry! No magic at the breakfast table" She said sternly.  
  
"You said dinner table!" Harry said.  
  
"It's the same table Harry" Draco said turning to his brother.  
  
"Anyway, Quidditch?" said Harry, his speech was muffled by a mouthful & a half of cereal he had just fed himself.  
  
"I see no harm, James dear, will you supervise them?" She said sipping tea from a pretty teacup & holding a saucer daintily under it.  
  
"Mum!" The two young Potters said melodically.  
  
"We are almost fifteen, we don't need a babysitter!" Draco said.  
  
"My birthday is next week!" Harry added.  
  
"Lily, I do think the boys are old enough now" He said gazing up from the mug of hot coffee that previously occupied his mouth.  
  
"Well, okay James, I never could say no to you" She kissed him gently on the forehead & walked over to the fridge.  
  
"That's right, your birthday is next week!" Draco said, pouring himself a tall glass of pumpkin juice.  
  
"Lilly, do you think we could make it to Hogsmeade this afternoon?" Said James still reading the paper.  
  
"When the boys get back from there precious Quidditch we can," She said sipping her tea once again.  
  
"Well, I'm finished" Harry said standing & pushing him chair under the table.  
  
Draco sculled the rest of his pumpkin juice & wiped his mouth with his sleeve.  
  
"Seeya mum" Harry said, kissing her on the cheek.  
  
"Be home soon" She flicked Draco lightly with a tea towel as he left.  
  
"Yup, sure" Draco said racing Harry up the stairs to get changed.  
  
Don't get me wrong, P. J 's are a good look but not exactly Quidditch wear.  
  
They raced out the door holding their brooms in one hand & a rickety trunk in the others.  
  
*****  
  
"What do you think of that Hermione Granger?" Harry asked as he mounted his nimbus 2000.  
  
"That Ravenclaw know-it-all?" Draco said, taking off his top robe.  
  
"Yeah" He said lifting off.  
  
"She's all right I guess, a bit precocious for my personal liking but on a scale of one to ten, I'd give her a six and a half" He said, pushing hard off the ground on his broom.  
  
"No way, six and a half?" Harry repeated.  
  
"Well, what would you give her?" Said Draco curiously.  
  
"I'd have to say... eight" Harry wanted to make it look like that came off the top of his head but it didn't work.  
  
"Uh-huh, what do you think of Hannah Abbott, you know from Hufflepuff" Harry gave him a blank look & slanted his head slightly to the side, much like a confused puppy.  
  
"You know, she used to date Ernie McMillan" Said Draco.  
  
"Oh, yeah, the cute, little, blonde one" Harry said zooming in a large circle.  
  
"Yeah, actually, what do you think of Lavender Brown?" Draco said, he seemed to be listing girls like birthday presents.  
  
"No, she's going out with that Weasley guy, you know who I'm talking about, Ron, from Divination, or was that Transfiguration, no, both" He could hardly remember anybody from school, he'd only been gone a few weeks.  
  
"Right, from Hufflepuff, ginger haired fellow" He said hovering happily.  
  
"Parvati Patil, the one with the twin, there's something I like about twins" Draco said with a slight grin.  
  
"She's a bit of alright" Said Harry, coming to a halt.  
  
"But Hermione, I was thinking about asking her to the Autumn dance" Said Harry changing the subject back to the original.  
  
"I suppose, I wonder when our letters are coming from school?" Draco said curiously.  
  
"I dunno, come to think of it, I haven't received any owls at all this holidays, there must be something wrong at the post" Said Harry steering his broom back down to the ground, Draco soon followed.  
  
"Maybe, I mean Dad apparates to Diagon Alley every morning to get the paper, we really haven't needed anything by owl" Draco said climbing off his broom & grasping it firmly with his right hand.  
  
"Yeah, I guess..." Harry checked his watch "We'd better get going". He climbed off his Nimbus 2000 & picked up his Birmingham Battlers water bottle & took a long drink.  
  
Draco went over to the Quidditch trunk & picked up one end. "Little help over here please!" Harry wandered over & grabbed the creaking handle. "We should ask dad to fix this, he can fix everything else" Harry said.  
  
"Yeah, or you could get a new one for your birthday, what do you want anyway?" Draco said blowing a loose piece of fringe out of his eyes.  
  
"I'd like an owl, I guess" Harry said with a tone of anticipation in his voice.  
  
"Why so mundane Harold? We have an owl," Draco said with an obvious air.  
  
"Well, I don't know about you, & don't get me wrong but, we can't bring mum to school with us" Harry said, lifting the hand with his broom in it & scratching his nose.  
  
"Yeah, I know" Draco said, slightly disappointed.  
  
*****  
  
They soon returned home to a strange visitor, a large black dog situated himself comfortably on the welcome mat.  
  
"Uncle Sirius!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
Harry & Draco sped toward the ebony dog, the trunk screeching between them.  
  
Before their excited eyes, the dog transformed into a man; a tall, handsome man with proud features beaming at them.  
  
"Lads!" He said in a friendly & excited tone, spreading his arms wide for the hugs he was about to receive.  
  
Harry was the first to him, holding him rather firmly, then Draco who's hug was much the same.  
  
"Look at how much you've grown, you boy's are almost as tall as me! You must tower over your mother" Said Sirius with a look of astonishment on his glowing face.  
  
"Come in, please" Said Harry, signaling to drop the trunk, he strode no more than three steps to reach the door but didn't need to open it...  
  
"Sirius!" James yelled excitedly.  
  
"James, old man, smashing to see you!" He said opening his arms again. The two exchanged a brotherly hug & then straightened themselves up slightly.  
  
"Lilly, ravishing as always!" He said as a blushing Lilly gave him a peck on the cheek, followed by a gentle, yet long cuddle.  
  
"Well, come in then" James said, clearing the doorway. Sirius reached into his suit jacket & whipped out a wand, with a swish & a flick, a burgundy suitcase appeared.  
  
"I'll get that" James chimed, straightening his glasses.  
  
"No, it's quite alright" Sirius said, lifting the trunk with ease.  
  
As he walked past James, he whispered to him "Feather-light charm", & giggled.  
  
"Oh Sirius, you were always exceptional at charms" James said, with a grin from ear to ear that wouldn't disappear.  
  
They moved into the house & Sirius set down his luggage, they all took a seat in the living room.  
  
"So Sirius, what brings you to Birmingham?" James said, pouring a jug of Butter Beer into five different glasses.  
  
"Actually, I have some good news, I'm moving back to England" they all looked at him with awe.  
  
"That's wonderful news Sirius!" Said Draco.  
  
"Not just that... I'm the new Defense against the dark arts professor at Hogwarts" Draco & Harry's faces lit up, James however had something on his mind.  
  
"What's the matter dad?" Said Harry curiously.  
  
"Oh, that's right, I meant to tell you boys, at the ministry they have identified a seer at Hogwarts, you might know her actually, Fifth year Ravenclaw girl, name's Hermione Granger" Said James.  
  
Harry's jaw dropped, a loud 'What?!" came out of his mouth.  
  
Draco didn't say anything, he just looked astonished.  
  
"Yes, she's so young to have such a power, but they think she can handle it, she is apparently one of the most powerful witches at Hogwarts, did you know that she is also a registered animagus, already! I do wonder which creature she chose, oh well" Said James, sipping his Butter Beer.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?!" Said Harry, standing.  
  
"So you do know her?" Lilly said.  
  
"Off course we do, she was the one that led that 'Deliberation of house elves' thing, I thought she was mad" Draco said, sitting forward.  
  
"She's not mad, she's brilliant" Harry said defensively.  
  
"Ok, ok, she's brilliant, whatever you think, you just fancy her" Draco said, sitting back.  
  
"I do not!" Harry said, walking in a kind of pace.  
  
"You wanna snog her rotten!" Draco said.  
  
"Boys, we should probably change the subject" Said Sirius, uncomfortably.  
  
"Yes, thank-you Sirius" Said James, clearing his throat.  
  
Harry sat down, with a pouty look on his face.  
  
"So, Harry, fifteen next week! You must be excited," Sirius said, standing.  
  
"That reminds me, we need to get off to Hogsmeade" Lilly said.  
  
"Sirius, would you like to accompany us?" James said.  
  
"Off course, I need to pick up a gift for young Harry" Sirius said.  
  
Just as they prepared to leave, there was a pop & a sound of knocking on the hard oak door.  
  
It was Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts.  
  
To be continued... 


	2. Visions of Dervish & Banges

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors notes: Thanks for the reveiws, you guys are super! and I'd also like to thank you for the extremly helpful critisism I received, I do hope that this chapter is better. In answer to the question "What on earth is Draco doing with the Potter's?!" It's because, instead of the Potters being there in Godrics Hollow (Where they were originally murdered in the book) it was Peter Pettigrew and his death eater friend Lucius Malfoy, They were there to murder the Potter's right, but a friend of Lilly's from school (Sybill Trelawny, maybe?) was a seer who got a vision of the Dark Lord coming to kill them, so she warned them in advance, causing them naturally to run. When Voldemort arrived (He was not happy to say the least) he became enraged and murdered Lucius & Peter with the killing curse (Fact: 'Avada Kedavra' actually means 'disappear like this word' in Aramaic). Narcissa Malfoy had the Malfoy's son (Draco) with her. When she found out that Lucius had been killed, she poisoned herself, leaving baby Draco for adoption and obviously, the Potter's adopted him. Oh, just incase you're wondering, I am quite aware of the students in this next chapter's houses, it is AU so I figured I could do what I wanted. By the way, there is a new character aswell, her name is Lonnagale Gwenivine, I conjured her as a bit of a love interest for Draco (Lucky lass). Please, read on, enjoy & review!!!...  
  
Chapter 2:Visions at Dervish & Banges Gryffindor Girl  
  
"I am sorry for the manner in which I am conveying this message to you, but there has been some troubles with the post recently, I've had to visit most of the wizards and witches attending this year" She said, gliding off her Emerald green robe and folding it over her loosely crossed arms.  
  
"That's quite alright Minerva, it's such a pleasure to see you again" James said taking her right hand in his.  
  
"It is always a pleasure to see the Potter's and Sirius Black, how wonderful! I haven't seen you in a pheonix's age" She said, tightening her stern bun.  
  
" You'll be seeing alot more of me from now on, I have taken the role as Proffesser of Defense against the dark arts this year at Hogwarts" He said, beaming with every word.  
  
"Albus has already informed the staff, mind you, Severus isn't too overjoyed at the prospect" She stopped, then continued. "So, I have come to inform you, that Draco here has been chosen as the prefect for Gryffindor, and Harry, the new Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team".  
  
"That's great news boy's, congradulations!" Lilly said, Kissing both of them on the cheek.  
  
"My son's, the leaders of Gryffindor!" James said valiantly.  
  
"I could not be more proud of you lads!" Sirius said, scruffing Harry's hair and nudging Draco so hard in the back he let out a loud cough and thought he might collapse.  
  
Wow, leaders of Gryffindor! Harry thought dreamily to himself, That would have to impress Hermione.  
  
"Well, I hate to be in a mad dash but, many more eruns to run today" McGonagall said, turning slightly.  
  
"Um, excuse me Proffeser!" Draco said stepping forward.  
  
"Yes, Draco?" She said, turning back.  
  
"I was wondering who the other prefects were this year" He said shyly.  
  
"Well, sharing your Gryffindor leadership will be Parvati Patil, For Ravenclaw, Amanda Brocklehurst and Neville Longbottom, Lavender Brown and Justin Finch Fletchly for Slytherin and Hufflepuff will have Ronald Weasley and Lonnagale Gwenivigne. Any other questions Mr Potter?" She asked with a furrowed brow.  
  
"No, thankyou Proffesser" He said coily.  
  
"I will see you all, September the first, as always, I am looking forward to this year and I hope you will fulfill your duties to the best of both of your abilities" She said, lips pursed.  
  
"Ofcourse, Proffesser" Harry said, stepping in.  
  
"Wonderful, well I must be off, Goodbye Lilly, James, and I'll see you three very soon" She said, pointing a wrinkled finger at Harry, Draco and Sirius.  
  
"Well we're off to Hogmeade for Harry's birthday presents" James said, opening yet closing the conversation.  
  
"Oh, well Happy Birthday if I don't see you before then" McGonagall said, with much more cheer than usual.  
  
"Thankyou" Harry said, for some reason, blushing.  
  
There was a silence, then...  
  
"Well, must be going, goodbye" There was another startling pop and McGonagall dissapeared, with a small puff of smoke.  
  
"So Harry, what do you want for your birthday?" Sirius said.  
  
"Well..." Harry pondered.  
  
*****  
  
The Three Broomsticks was packed as always when the Potter's and black arrived. All sorts of creatures were in there, (Harry swore he saw a centaur) and it was only mid-day. As always, Madame Rosmerta was mingling with the customers, regailing stories of their travels and past times. Lilly, Harry and Draco took a seat at a round table situated in the corner when they got a visitor...  
  
"'Allo Lilly, 'Arry an' Draco, 'Ow you bin'?" Hagrid said with great joy.  
  
"Well thanks, Hagrid, how have you been?" Lilly answered politly.  
  
"Ay' Bin' marvelous! We jus' got some new creatures in for me care 'o' magical creatures class!" He said, his great beard bristling.  
  
"Why don't you take a seat?" Lilly offered.  
  
"Righ' then" Hagrid said, excepting her offer & taking a seat.  
  
"What have you got this year Hagrid? How's Buckbeak?" Draco asked curiously.  
  
"'E's bin' doin' great, 'e sure misses the company of the kids though, bin' real quiet at 'Ogwarts since the kids 'ave bin' gone" Hagrid said, kind of dreamily.  
  
"So, did you know that Draco is the prefect for Gryffindor?" Lilly said, proudly.  
  
"I've 'eard that 'e was, Congratulations Draco, an' 'Arry 'ere, captain of the quidditch team, gonna be a grea' year, this one" Hagrid said, his beetle black eyes shinging with the light of candle lit chandelear which almost brushed the top of his head.  
  
"Yes, I agree" Harry said.  
  
"Well, I'd best be goin' then. Lovely seein' ya then" Hagrid said.  
  
"Bye Hagrid!" Harry and Draco chimed in at the same.  
  
He left his seat, and walked out of bar.  
  
On the other side if The Three Broomsticks, stood James and Sirius, having a laugh with their old school friend, Reamus. They were regailing with great cheer the incident when, to their great embaressment, their first Yule Ball.  
  
"...And remember! You didn't have a date, so you conjured up a patronus to dance with!" Reamus said, rather loud for Sirius's liking, as quite a few complete strangers now knew that he was desperate enough to dance with a puff of silver smoke.  
  
"Well, at least I didn't take Gertrude Gollamunt to the dance, that was desperate" Sirius said, triumphently.  
  
"Thanks Sirius, great compliment for my new wife" Reamus said in a huff.  
  
"What?, you married her?" He said, astonished.  
  
"Come now, I'm not that desperate" He said, bursting with laughter "You should've seen the look on your face!"  
  
"That is completly unfair" Said Sirius, copping a slap on the back.  
  
"One must do, what is necassary to embaress you, my dear chap" Reamus said, with a chuckle.  
  
"Well, I'd best get over to the lot" James said cheerfully "Would you care to join us?"  
  
"Ofcourse, I could do with a nice, warm butterbeer" Said Reamus.  
  
*****  
  
Not too long after they sat, Madame Rosmerta strutted to the table, beaded shoes jingling as her curvy figure made the way.  
  
"Well, if it isn't James Potter and Sirius Black! Never see one of you without the other ever since your first visit!, you two would have to be the most memorable double act since I started working here, except ofcourse, that Fred and Goerge Weasley, they are trouble in a dragon egg, those two! Let me guess, Three butterbeer's, a small gillywater, cherry syrup with soda and one pint of mullet mead" She said with a superior smirk.  
  
"How did you know that?" Harry said, rather gobsmacked.  
  
"I've developed a nack, these many years for guessing the drink on the customers appeteite, mind you, I get a few odd requests, why anyone would want to drink the sweat from my shoes is completely foreign to me" She said, shaking it off quickly.  
  
They all sat rather quietly, with uneased looks on their faces.  
  
"Well! I'll get you your drinks" Madame Rosmerta said with a certain chirp.  
  
They all stopped thinking of feet and went into a less disturbing trail of thought.  
  
"So, Dumbldore has told me that Draco will be the new prefect for Gryffindor this year, I bet you'll do a ripper of a job too" Reamus said "... And Harry, quidditch captain! You must be very pleased"  
  
"We're over the moon!" James said, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"...And I trust that you will both be doing wizard accounting, Percy Weasley will be teaching it. Two years after graduating! He's been working with me at Gringotts, at the Wales branch, brilliant young man, Head Boy and all" Reamus said.  
  
"Isn't that Ron's brother?" Draco said.  
  
"Yeah, he is. So are Fred and Goerge. And that other girl, Ginny or something" Harry said.  
  
"So many kids, so much red hair" Lilly said.  
  
There was laughter at the table, then the drinks arrived. When they finished the round, they went to one of Harry's favourite shops...  
  
The bright sign read: Zonko's: Jokes, Tricks & Pranks for all occasions, Harry's face lit up at the meer sight of it.  
  
Harry and Draco wandered disorderly into the shop, opening the door and triggering not only a doorbell, but also a small brigade of cornish pixies, which the boys brushed away without a thought.  
  
The Pixies did however ambush Lily and James on their entry.  
  
"Little blue prats" James muttered.  
  
Zonko's was never the same, every single time, they had re-arranged it. Every time Harry would think a certain buzzer on the wall was for a tiny, electric shock, a cloud of Dragon breath emerged, choking him slightly.  
  
He left with Dungbombs, Chicken-pox spray, Trick sweets (Flavours included shampoo, caterpillars and everyones favourite, shoe polish) and a highly amusing new game called 'Codswallop' which involved trick wands.  
  
The next store they entered was Draco's favourite Honedukes makers of fine sweets and every other confection under the moon. There were some familiar faces in this store. Lee Jordan regrettebly tryed a 'pepper imp' when he was clearly allergic to pepper causing him to break out in a nasty rash and lucky for him, Madame Pomfrey, the Hogwarts matron was in Honeydukes stocking up on chocolate for the coming school year so she cured him on the spot. He also saw Cedric Diggory, with his father Amos debating Mrs Diggory's favourite chocolate, they ended up getting some toffee caramel eclairs and a rather large brick of coconut ice. Draco bought Harry his favourite, Chocoballs with strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and about a tonne of jelly slugs, droobles best blowing gum and some exploding bon- bons.  
  
They finally made it into James's favourite store Dervish & Banges, Harry sorted through a vase full of quills while Draco browsed through 'Hogwarts: A history, revised edition', Lilly was taken in by a self pouring jug and James was testing an extremly comfortable looking rocking chair that was heated by one's want to be comfortable, and ofcourse magic.  
  
Harry walked around the dusty store casually, until he saw another familiar face with her nose in a book entitled 'Seer, Myth or Magic'. This ofcourse disconcerted Harry, but he was so taken aback at the very sight of her that he found it hard to breathe, he closed his eyes, trying to work up the courage to just say 'hello' to her.  
  
He was ready, all of a sudden a shriek came from Hermione and she collapsed.  
  
Harry, along with everyone else in the store ran toward Hermione, who was laying on the floor, shaking.  
  
To be continued... 


	3. chap 3

Authors notes: Thanks so much for your reviews (I write as I wipe away a tear) nah. You are all true Gryffindors! Much more still to come, alot of Harry/Hermione to be read. Also, if you were wondering about the owl post, it comes up in this chapter too (Hint: a new creature will come to the rescue, that's a little later though) I know I left you on a cliffhanger, but believe me, my good friend OR has already warned me with several threats against my life. So for my sake, I continue to write. You should all check out my newly posted fan fic 'Love & it's defenses'. It's Oliver/Hermione so yeah, it's a bit different but it's good all the same (Well, I like it...is that sad?). I wrote it with a Hogwarts companion of mine named 'Slytherin Sammy'. She's completely in love with Tom Felton (who isn't to some extent?) so yeah, I hope you all adore it as much as I adore all of you!!!  
  
P.S: All you Alias fans out there should read O.R's story entitled 'Last years', it is very funny (well, as funny as one could find an Alias Fan Fiction), oh, apparently it's not meant to be funny! She was on the telephone to me when she finished. So for my sake, you must all read...well, go on ya gits once you have finished mine (and reviewed it, of course!).  
  
P.P.S: O.R & I were on the phone while I was writing this, She was listening to Metallica, so I put on my Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets soundtrack & said "Fine, I'll fight fire with the boy who lived!". Luvya's all, G.G  
  
Chapter 3: About the boy. Gryffindor Girl  
  
Her vision was blurred, she saw only a face, a familiar face. Was that Harry Potter calling her name? She rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Hermione, thank god! She's alive everyone" Harry said, looking relieved.  
  
"Harry?" She whispered "What happened?"  
  
"You just collapsed, don't ever scare me like that!" He said to her with distress in his voice.  
  
"You were scared?" She said curiously.  
  
"Ofcourse" Harry said, suddenly sheepish "well, as worried as one could expect, where are your parents?"  
  
"Honeydukes" She said quietly, clearing her throat.  
  
"Somebody, go get her parents! Get Mr and Mrs Granger!" He said, sitting her up in his lap.  
  
A small, portly woman near the entrance fled out the door and into Honeydukes, in around half a minute, A tall man accompnied by a thin, curly haired woman burst through the door.  
  
"What's wrong? Is she alright?" Hermione's parents said, frantic for the safety of their only child.  
  
"She's fine, I think she had a vision" Harry said.  
  
"How did you know that?" Hermione said, astonished.  
  
"Oh, my dad works at The Ministry of Magic" Harry said, diverting to a question.  
  
"So, was it a vision?" Harry said to her as she gazed into his deep, green eyes with her's of a dark, chocolate brown.  
  
"You have the greenest eyes I've ever seen" She said dreamily.  
  
Harry blushed as he looked up and saw Hermione's parents embarressed and some people smirking at her comment.  
  
"Well, that's a bit...um... well, I think we should find somewhere for her to rest" Harry said, embarressed yet focused.  
  
Hermione's little body suddenly went rigid in Harry's arms.  
  
"What's happening to her?!" Harry yelled.  
  
She started screaming at the top of her lungs "Him, it's him! Malfoy! It's all him! Make him stop! Somebody!".  
  
The people in the store became nervous and started to leave, Madame Pomfrey swept her way through the door.  
  
"Excuse me, excuse me" She said, mowing through the rather small crowd. She pulled a wand from her robes and stood directly over Harry.  
  
"Mind yourself, Mr Potter" She said, brandishing a waving hand at him. He layed her on the floor and stood, moving a few steps back.  
  
"Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione went silent and cold as Madame Pomfrey chanted. Harry reached out and touched her hand gently, he rubbed it to make it warm until Madame Pomfrey conjured a stretcher that took Hermione, accompnied by her parents to The Bubbling Goblet Inn, not too far from Dervish and Banges. Harry stood sill, rubbing one hand with the other, staring as she floated away.  
  
*****  
  
"No, you don't understand! It's imperitive that I see her!" Harry reasoned with the clerk.  
  
"Listen young man, I understand perfectly but until I get permission from the young lady's parents, I simply cannot permit you entry" the tall, elderly man said patiently.  
  
"So there's no way of waving that rule, is there?" James said.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry sir, my hands are tied" He said.  
  
"Not even if this were an official Ministry business?" James said as a small smirk played across his lips.  
  
"Well, of course, for the ministry, anything of course" the clerk said, taking off his rather large glasses and cleaning them with his chequed tie.  
  
"You have an under age seer on this residence and I wish to investigate, with the help of my... apprentice" He winked at Harry, Which caused Harry to hold back a smile.  
  
"Right down the hall, seventh door on the left, I'll let them know" The clerk did something very odd, he wrote the number 'seven' on a stack of paper and then continued to write a message about the ministry, a very short while after he was finished writing, the navy blue ink dissapeared into the paper.  
  
Harry stared in disbelief until his father tapped him on the shoulder, signalling the walk down the hall.  
  
They stopped at a nice, holly door with a gold frame that was the same as the others they had seen. James cleared his throat and knocked three times on the door, Hermione's mother, who was thin and attractive with the same wild hair that Hermione wore answered the door.  
  
"Yes, you must be from the Ministry right?" She said.  
  
"Indeed we are, I am James Potter and this is my son, Harry" James said seriously.  
  
"Please, do come in" She said, waving a gracious hand and offering them both a seat, which they both declined politley.  
  
"We are here to assess the condition of a Miss Hermione Granger, would you mind if I asked her a few questions?" Jame said, conjuring a roll of parchment. He checked the pockets of his robes for a quill but that proved unsuccessful, he ended up conjuring one aswell.  
  
"Not at all, go ahead, we were just going to get some fresh air" Mr Granger said, he linked arms with his wife and left the room.  
  
The two Potters walked over to a four poster bed which was covered in a fine linen, occupied by Hermione who's forehead was covered in a damp wash cloth.  
  
"Miss Granger, could we ask you a few quick questions about the incident before?" James asked, taking a seat.  
  
"Ofcourse, what would you like to know?" She said, sitting up and discarding the wash cloth.  
  
She noticed that Harry was sitting by her bed and smiled.  
  
"Oh, hello Harry. I hope I didn't frighten you too much before, it's rather embarressing when it happens in public" She said, blushing.  
  
"No, it's fine. I mean, it was a little bracing but, I'm glad that you're better" Harry said, also blushing.  
  
James cleared his throat loudly, destroying the concentration the teen's had on each other.  
  
"What did you have a vision of?" James said.  
  
"Well, there was a boy, he was really familiar. Blonde hair, rather tall and he summoned this figure. He was made to, like he had given in his will because he had nothing left, nobody, nothing. His very spirit was lost" She said darkly.  
  
"The figure, what did it look like?" James said, leaning closer.  
  
"It was dark and mangled, horrible to watch. It was like... it didn't have a soul, everything good and pure was gone. All that remained was a shell, it was so cold. He said his name was..."  
  
*****  
  
"Yes..." James said, leaning forward.  
  
She let out a sigh, hoping it would supplement the secret she witheld. It didn't.  
  
"Voldemort" She said, quietly.  
  
Harry let out a loud gasp, James patted him on the shoulder to calm him.  
  
"Go on..." James said.  
  
"He kept chanting 'Malfoy, you will die like your father, a coward, won't you fight Lord Voldemort?" She said, sounding ashamed.  
  
Harry stood, looking very dazed and a bit sick.  
  
"I think I'm going to go and get some air" He said as he meandered slowly across the room.  
  
He ended this short journey just outside the shrieking shack, he stared at the delapidated cottage and let out a loud sigh. His silence was broken with a small tap on the shoulder, it was Sirius.  
  
"Oh, hello Sirius" Harry said quietly.  
  
"Jesus Harry, you look like you've seen a ghost, what's wrong?" Sirius said patiently.  
  
"Sirius, tell me about Voldemort" Harry said without blinking.  
  
Sirius was taken aback by this statement, rather shocked at the younger man. As if Harry had said the dirtiest swearword known to Wizard.  
  
"What would you like to know?" Sirius said, taking a seat in a shoddy looking bench.  
  
"Do you, I mean, he is dead, isn't he?" Said Harry, joining him.  
  
"Harry, I won't lie to you any further. Voldemort is..." Sirius was cut off by the sound of a woman screaming. Harry and Sirius got to their feet immediatley and took off down the hill to find the owner of the scream.  
  
Meanwhile, back at the Bubbling Goblet, Hermione and James had continued conversing.  
  
"I think I scared him a bit" Hermione said.  
  
"Well, you are very brave to even think that name, has been quite a long time since I heard anyone utter it" James said, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself" She said superiorly.  
  
"Yes, you seem to be wise beyond your years Miss Granger, I'll give you that. I've been meaning to ask you something and it's quite alright if you'de prefer not to answer but what animagus do you transfigure to? There is no record of it just yet at the Ministry" James said, inquisitivley.  
  
"A dove, your a stag, right?" She said, lifting a glass of water to her lips.  
  
"Well, yes I am, how do you know that?" James said, eyeing her suspiciously.  
  
"You are registered, I read about you in the animagus encylclopedia. Took you three years, none of my friends really want to become animagi's. You were lucky, atlesast you had friends to change with you. Sirius Black will be teaching at Hogwarts this year, did you know?" She said.  
  
"Yes, We still keep in touch. As a matter of fact, he's in the village as we speak, How long did it take you?" Said James.  
  
"Two or Three years, my grandmother was a witch and she transfigured into a dove, in a way, it was kind of an heirloom" She said, placing the glass delicatley on the bedside table.  
  
There was a pause, Hermione pondered whether to continue.  
  
"You don't think he'll come back into power, do you?" She said, almost whispering.  
  
"I do hope not, we've had enough trouble with the owl post, owls leaving but not returning. They are only sending owls in emergancy circumstances now, due to the small numbers. We are actually considering using Jecklings to send the mail" James said, rubbing his forehead.  
  
"I think I've heard of those" Hermione said.  
  
"They're an odd bird like creature, much like flamingo's only less pleasant, spiny things. They are however, quite efficiant at delivery. Although, they don't fly particularily well, prefer to run but they can become invisible when needed. Which is much to the wizarding worlds advantage. It may be traditional but owls are a tad inconspicuos to muggles" James said.  
  
This made Hermione laugh, she remembered when she got her first owl. Her parents found it to be most unusual.  
  
They heard running, someone coming closer. Harry came in a burst through the door.  
  
"Dad!" He panted.  
  
"Come quick, Draco he's..." He gasped for air.  
  
"He's..."  
  
To be continued... 


End file.
